Family matters
Talking about MS
Living with MS can be difficult, frustrating and at times, frightening, particularly around the time of diagnosis. It can take some time to come to terms with the fact that life is likely to change and it is natural to grieve for what may be lost. Once people have started to come to terms with a diagnosis of MS, they may want to think about telling a wider circle of people. Choosing whether to do this and how can be a complex decision.
Starting a family
MS is most often diagnosed between the ages of 20-40, the age at which many people may be thinking of having a family. Deciding whether to start or add to a family is often a complicated process, and MS raises a host of other questions to consider.
Children, young people and MS
MS affects the whole family and it can sometimes be difficult to discuss the changes that MS brings with children. For the children of people with MS, it can be difficult to explore their feelings about MS and how it affects them. The following resources can help them realise that they are not alone in the feelings that they may be experiencing at this challenging time of their lives.
Information for carers
Often the role of carer falls on family members, either voluntarily or because service providers and family members assume that this should be the case. Adopting the role of a carer should be a choice and people with MS and their families are entitled to decide that this is not something that they would like to take on.